The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-11-23
GAMES OF ANIMALS.
How tho Lower Orders of Creation Display
Their Love OF Sport.

GAMES OF ANIMALS.
How tho Lower Orders of Creation Display
Their Love OF Sport.
That insects have their games and
sports / am convinced. This first oc.
Cured to me while in the Adironacks
some years ago. Twas some distance
in the wilderness, and having found a
small clearing, was resting from my
climb, when suddenly the sun, that had
been obscured, sent band of light
through IN opening in the trees and at
once transformed the spot into a verita.
BILE fairyland. From all about innum.
cradle forms of insect life seemed to
spring into the gladstone light, and
soon the great sunbeam was tho scene
OF sucl' revelry as is only imagined by
tellcrs of fairy stories. A band of
gnats, or insects resembling them.
seemed to be performing some mystic
dance. They tloated on the beams of
light; rising and falling in undulating
lines, forming and reforming, now
disappearing, as if at some proeoncerted
signal, only to appear again in some
new shape. So regular and exact were
these movements that l was impressed
that they had some meaning. In and
about this band of players various other
forms were darling. Such games Of
tag! such serial leaps, dives and
plunges! all showing that this sunbath
was being enjoyed to the utmost cx.
tent.
Once, when lying on the rocks that
face the ocean, not far from Nahant, l
was attracted by a curious clicking
sound, first on one side, then on the
Other; as if system of signalling was
going on. Recognizing the note of one
! OF the locust tribe, carefully turned
and saw half dozen large, rusty.
brown fellows, commonly known as
grasshoppers, which so exactly initiated
the rocks in color that it was with the
| greatest difficulty l distinguished them
when not in motion. 1t was apparent
that they were engaged in some curious
| performance. as they were marching
| about in the most erratic manner, dodgS
ing and hiding behind pieces Of stone,
and exhibiting remarkable acuteness in
avoiding each other. All tho little
! Irregularities of the rocks were care
fully taken advantage of, and their mo-
tons in creeping upon one another re-
minded me of those of cat so stcalthy
and sly were they. This game of hide
and-seek was occasionally varied by a
leaping performance. Two locusts
would gravely face each other, and
then as if at a given signal they would
jump into the air, one passing over tho
other in the flight, alighting and as
suming the same positions. only re-
vcrsed. watched their maneuvers for
some time, and listened to the curious
clicking that accompanied them; but
finally an incautious movement broke
up the games. and the players flew
away, seemingly uttering vigorous pro-
tests.
The love of sport is not confined to
these lowly creatures. doubt that an
animal can be found which does not in
some way or at some time show desire
for what we term amusement" Among
the land animals, or rather the land and
water animals, the offers are especially
noticeable from the fact that some Of
their games are exactly like those of
human device. It was Audubon who
first chronicled their actions, he having
watched them from secluded spot
and since then their games have been
enjoyed by many observers. The offers
Qutra canadensis) are perhaps the orig
inators of the games of sliding down hill
and tobogganiDg.
Offers are always found about
streams; building their tunnel-nests in
the banks. having as rule. one en-
trance into the water, and another on
shore. During the winter bank isse-
lected having agood incline unloading
into the water, or sometimes out upon the
ice. The snow Is then carefully patted
down and rendered as smooth as posi-.
BILE, and finally becomes a glare OF ice.
This accomplished, the offers start at the
top of the hill. and turning upon their
backs give themselves push with their
hind feet, and away go tho living sleds,
dashing down the incline, turning at
the bottom and with splash entering
the cold water, or darting away on tho
smooth ice. So fond are the animals OF
this sport that they keep it up for a
long time, and hunters watch the slides,
knowing that here they have the best
chance of finding the offers.
The sea-otters are just as playful.
They are found lying on the great kelp.
beds off shore, and have been seen toss
ing their young into the air, riding on
the breakers upon their backs, and
going through a number Of motions Of
an extremely interesting nature. That
these occurrences are truly games, one
needs but to watch the domestic cat and
her kittens; and young lions, tigers and
all the cat. tribe have similar DISPOSE
tons, while if we turn to the monkey its
entire existence is seen to be contin.
uous game, or an endless series of prac.
teal jokes perpetrated upon its fellows.
Wide AUake.
Little George used to say his even.
ing PRAYER while sitting in his mother's